Watching Ski Jumping...

Well, Universal Sports.com (following wcsn.com) is changing ones ability to keep in touch w/ Ski Jumping and it is really really nice.

Besides needing to feed off of IE Explorer and not Firefox, it is darn stable. You can PAUSE when you want to grab a beer or some such, and you can actually watch a ski jumping competition.

I am watching Kulm Day 1 right now and about 1/2 through the second round and all is good.

Here is the Link to this One
Otherwise, hit the "Schedule" button at Universalsports.com and find what you want to watch - usually on veiw "On Demand" - there could be some more comps but it is good around New Years like this with the SpringerTourneee (4 Hills Tournament is their term in strict translation)

Now, about that ski jumping. You all need to try it. It is really really really fun.

And yes, maybe 30 people in the world get to ski the second round. I have seen a 32 year old, but most are younger. I stopped too young.

I could go on.

Be a spectator and imagine yourself there. The air pressure is much much more than it appears, and when they are really on the jump the vacuum of the lift envelope is more amazing than nearly anything...

Just say no to TV, but watch these competions. It is worth the time spent.

best.

Gregor Schlierenzauer - Kulm - 215.5m - HILL RECORD

This is the Austrian piece. If you sit through it you can see how far down the hill he lands in the last Zoom out shot.. Really unbelievable.

Lots of fun to have this go around the world like this.

Schlierenzauer 215,5m - Polish Feed K185 2009 - new hill record!

This is the Polish feed, but I put it here to make a technical comment. By his jumping so far he actually was able to land without too much force in his landing, and remarkably, pulling out of his squat landing he went immeditately into a slalom style stop.. He is a very good skier, but his flying, remarkably, made it quite easy to stop..

Why, you may ask. Basically one goes slower in the air than on the snow. These jumps increase in size slowly, based upon the abilities of the best skiers, but more than that, the dangers to the worst skier. Falling, or tumbling down the landing hill is much much more dangerous than gliding in the air down the hill... and one picks up a lot more speed too when they are on the snow than in the air.

Watch him stop here... amazingly easy.

all for now

Project X Wki Site

You may be aware of the current US Development program, and you may not. If not, check out the site at the following link.

http://skijumping.wikispaces.com/

Mens Ski Jumping, for various reasons, has fallen on some hard fortunes and is not currently supported by the US. Ski Team as most other disciplines are supprted (I don't know the full details of this, but specifically there is no Named US Ski Team in Jumping)....

Reacting to the need for creating a viable path for develoment and international competition, the US. Ski Jump Development program has been formed as a self standing 501c3 Corp. The need for fundraising is very real for this group, but the call to action of creating an effective and functional program has been remarkable. Jochen Dannenberg has been retained as the Coach (Olympic Medalist and Springertournee Winner). The outstanding efforts and support coming from Alan Johnson and Jim Holland deserve our full recognition.

Lets all help with their success in the ways we can. Find out more at:

http://skijumping.wikispaces.com/

Project X is part of the wider movement that that is fermenting success in Nordic Disciplines throughout the continent. Lets support these initiatives.

139m Ski Jump-Blake Hughes

Blake Hughes in Klingenthal.. Go Project X!

Johnny Lyons on Klingenthal

Nice Jumping Johnny!

Anders Johnson - Project X

Summer Jumping with Anders Johnson, US World Cup Competitor and Olympian.

You Go Anders!

Nicholas Fairall 170,5m - Kulm K185 2009

Awesome first Ski Flying Comp Jump for Nicholas. Thanks to Mr. Hastings for finding this.

Nicholas Fairall 120m - Ga-Pa 2008 Q

Great Jump In Garmisch by Nick Fairall. Great to see you getting it done!

Gregor Schlierenzauer - Kulm 10.1.09 215,5 meter

Unbelievable Jump and subsequent Flight by Gregor Schlierenzauer. This Jump really shows the relationship between proper takeoff and the right attitude in the air. His "fly away" that can be seen extremely soon into the air is on a completely different plane, and the result of this is seen as he proceeds down the landing hill. He is "lofting" and literally could have flown this onto the flats but it would have likely been impossible to land.

The primary commentator for this piece, I believe, is Armin Kogler who was a very accomplished jumper and Flyer in the late 70's and early 80's. This is from Austrian TV (ORF) around Jan 10, 2009.

Re Shlierenzauer, I heard that he only put on Jump Boots 3 years ago... (hard to believe, but would be interesting to find out more about). He is an amazing athlete which you can see, not only in the jump, but in how he handled a difficult landing, and even more how quick he was back up w/ fist in the air, and turned into a stop.

One of those jumps to be remembered for a long time. Simon Amman had one last year (shown below I think still) at Haarachov CZ that had a similar Loft going on.

Fly well everyone.